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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to hate the way my DD speaks?

224 replies

suwoo · 14/02/2008 14:42

DD who is nearly 6 is developing a real Manchester accent. I know I live in Manchester, but I speak 'naicely' and would prefer her to do so too. Every time she calls me 'Mumm-eh' its like fingers down a blackboard and I always say 'its mumm-ee', well actually I normally hiss it. DH hates the fact I correct her and says that as we live in Manchester, that is her accent and I should get used to it. AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
suwoo · 14/02/2008 14:56

Its just the mumm-eh, that gets me. Its like she's calling me something completely different as my name is 'mummee' IYKWIM. Obviously moving is perhaps a bit drastic, but I will listen to what you've said as I would hate to limit her creativity or cause her any lack of confidence. What I would hope for when she is older that she is able to speak 'nicely' when its called for ie an interview but can still be colloquial with her mates.

OP posts:
platesmasher · 14/02/2008 14:57

According to my family you have to live in Scotland to have the best accent (but they are monumental morons unable to accept that their grandchildren are english).

witchandchips · 14/02/2008 14:57

my cousins spoke like ruth maddox from hi-di-hi until they were around 11, now they can shatter a wine-glass within 10 metres. [tbh i know which i'd prefer] leave and enjoy it.

morningpaper · 14/02/2008 14:57

I have this problem too, living in Somerset

Really if my children end up talking like farmers they will end up unemployed

It is very distressing. What next, morris dancing?

Original poster
suwoo · 14/02/2008 14:58

Think I prefer Whitefield accent to Oldham Custy, trouble is she's verging on the 'Bury' you see...not good.

OP posts:
HairyToe · 14/02/2008 14:58

I love accents. I house shared for a while with a Scottish girl, a Brummie girl, an Irish bloke and another bloke with a very strong Leeds accent. They all sounded great - a good accent can add lots of spark and comedy to a good alcohol-based banter. I have no real discernable accent now and feel I'm missing out. Maybe I could develop one...

scattyspice · 14/02/2008 14:58

Thank yew Bogwobbit. .

My kids are Geordies!

platesmasher · 14/02/2008 15:00

Don't worry suwoo, She'll have a phonevoice. Everybody has one of those that they can turn on for interviews etc.
And then she'll go off to college and speak like she's on neighbours.

HairyToe · 14/02/2008 15:00

My dh is a brummie and I know some of you will think I'm mad but his accent was one of the first things which attracted me to him.

HairyToe · 14/02/2008 15:01

Actually platesmasher she'll probably go through a 'Lauren' phase in her teens before then.
"Innit though... arrrrriiiiggghhht"

Disenchanted · 14/02/2008 15:04

PMSL!!

Im the same!

I live in Manchester but hate the accent. I try to speak nicely ane even though I know i dont sound as bad as most people round here (because i make a concious effort to avoid it!) I still find bits of it leaking through, especially when I shout!

Original poster
suwoo · 14/02/2008 15:04

As long as she develops her phone voice, I'll be OK. Looking forward to that teenager phase then

OP posts:
platesmasher · 14/02/2008 15:05

Sorry to hijack a bit here, but how should i deal with my family who can't seem to get past the fact that my kids are english. I feel bad for my kids that my their grandad can't have a conversation with them without repeating what they say in an overly posh english accent. Twat.

Original poster
suwoo · 14/02/2008 15:06

Hi again, Disenchanted. I'm not from here originally so I think thats why I have more difficulty. I try hard to speak properly, but sometimes the odd 'prop-oh' slips out

OP posts:
Original poster
suwoo · 14/02/2008 15:07

Is he the scottish one? I agree, twat!

OP posts:
Vacua · 14/02/2008 15:07

I don't think it's completely unreasonable, I have winced at 'I need a new boike' and 'have we got any oice cream?' but I live in Suffolk, am not sure what else I can expect?

They have mostly grown out of it now and sound more like me, sort of generic English type accent.

So maybe unreasonable to HATE but there's also the business of fitting in with their peers and so on. At least they haven't got a silly posh accent

Heifer · 14/02/2008 15:24

It is interesting to read that we shouldn't correct them..

My DD is just 4 and we moved here just before Christmas. She already speaks like a local and tbh I hate it!.. I don't hate the accent generally (before those who know where I am now living flame me)... but I do hate it on DD, because it doesn't sound like her..

Both my DH and myself we correcting her quite often and actually telling her not to talk like that!.... but we actually made a decision earlier this week that we think that must be wrong and that we should leave her alone.

Someone told me that she will be fine when she goes away to university and come back with a completely different accent...

The funny thing is that DD has a stronger accent than the locals and sounds like she comes from somewhere else quite near....

MrsMattie · 14/02/2008 15:26

Why are you living in Manchester, then?

2bulletsformyvalentine · 14/02/2008 15:27

suwoo only read the op.
please feel glad that she can talk. surely that is much more important than any accent.
my dd is 12 and can't due to cp so I had to post and say that

VinegarTitsOut · 14/02/2008 15:30

well said 2shoes, be thankful she can talk, i think mumm-eh sounds cute anyway.

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 14/02/2008 15:32

i would correct it

we live in yorkshire but an odd town with mild ish accent

i correct my children - i want them to speak well

UnquietDad · 14/02/2008 15:32

It is entirely possible to live in an area and not acquire the "locals'" accent. I see/hear a lot of teenage kids round Sheffield who don't have the nasal dee-dar whine. I suppose it depends on how you speak in the house, how your friends speak and how they speak in school.

MrsMattie · 14/02/2008 15:34

Why does speaking 'well' mean not having an accent from the region you LIVE in? Ridiculous snobbery. Not classy.

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 14/02/2008 15:36

the word is mumm-eeee

not mumm eh

i would correct it

if i lived in scotland i would allow anything though

stleger · 14/02/2008 15:36

I like accents, and 2shoes is dead right!

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